A Rival in the Skies
by Sentury
Summary: You would think a battle against a goddess for his very survival would be enough to satisfy Tibarn's taste for a good fight, but somehow the Hawk King's attention is elsewhere, on the chance to test his talons against a real opponent from miles away.


**A/N: **Greetings, friends. Sentury here putting out another story, this one for the lovely and beautiful Fire Emblem Mew Mew. Based upon her favorite character (by request) Tibarn. So Hello, FEMM! I hope I don't put Tibarn to shame, and hope even more that you, and everyone else who happens on this humble story of mine, enjoys!

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Tibarn hated fighting inside. It was not that he couldn't fight, or fight effectively for that manner, but a warrior of the Hawk clan was not meant to be cooped up inside where he could not fully test his wings. It seemed that every time he met his full speed he reached some accursed wall, or a ceiling, or, in most cases, an enemy. He was not one to normally complain about a good battle, but the Hawk King still missed the wind beneath his wings and the glistening colors of the sun against a blue sky. Tibarn took a moment to gaze again at his surroundings, the Tower of Guidance lacked all the proper facets to a good battle – save for a plentiful amount of Beorc foes to crush beneath his talons – the walls were dank and boring, and each soldier seemed to line up one after another for the slaughter. The king even thought for a moment he might not even need to fly at all, rather he could just swoop down to a nice stop and fight down his enemies one by one as they rushed at him without thought or purpose. A frustrated sigh left the Laguz's beak as he put the thought behind him and flew down to end the life of another unfortunate enemy. However, just as the warrior king readied his mighty talons to tear through the flesh and bone of his enemy the prize was taken from him as a great white wolf sprung from nowhere and crushed his intended target between its great fangs.

"Something the matter, Hawk King?" began the wolf as it slowly began to change form into the slender figure of a beautiful woman, "That was a rather sloppy attempt on your part."

"Hmph," replied Tibarn roughly, "I hardly needed my full strength to take on an opponent such as him, but I'll admit I haven't been able to really flex my muscles. Be careful though, after a statement like that I'd hate to have to test them against you."

"Oh, I think I would like that very much." Spoke Nailah of Hatari with a sly and inviting smile before she morphed back into her animal form and vanished to battle more enemies without so much more as a word.

Tibarn could not hold back the smile that came to his lips, or the slight laugh that escaped them. The woman may have been from miles away, but she was Laguz nonetheless; and a capable queen at that. Few would ever have the courage to challenge the king of the hawks so directly, or the skills to back up such a claim.

"Face the goddess's might, fiend!" the soldier's shout ripped Tibarn from his thoughts and back towards the battle and the approaching lance-man.

_Fool,_ he thought, _had you just kept quiet you may have actually been able to wound me. _

But instead Tibarn swiftly glided to the right to avoiding the lance before swooping back towards the enemy, killing him in an instant and leaving him hungering even more for a chance at a battle with Naliah. He watched as the woman dispatched an enemy just after his with a graceful and dangerous precision. Being in doors certainly didn't bother her, but he wouldn't let that stop him either. And so with a mighty flap of his wings, the Hawk King ascended to the skies once more as the battle raged on below.

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It wasn't long before the combined might of Tibarn and the rest of his comrades dispatched the remaining enemies on the Tower of Guidance's first floor, granting them a few moments reprieve before they tackled the next floor. His Beorc friend, Ike and the small tactician he had come to know as Soren methodically finished of enemy after enemy while Tibarn's other Laguz companions did his race proud in each taking down countless enemies themselves. It hadn't been the most trying battle he'd ever fought, but Tibarn knew better than to continually underestimate his opponents; each floor would have stronger and stronger enemies until eventually he'd be face to face with the goddess herself. It was enough to make even the mightiest warriors tremble with fear, but not Tibarn, instead the Hawk King clenched his fists and allowed a smile to curve his lips as the thought of a battle for the ages lingered in his mind.

"Something amusing, Hawk King?" Asked Naliah, suddenly breaking him from his thoughts. She was out of her wolf form now, gleaming with the regal aura of a fine queen. He couldn't understand how she came to grasp that impression for the woman seemed, in some cases, to appear rather base, or even savage. She wore little clothing around her chest, her hair was messy and unkept, and she bore tattoos all up her right arm and leg. However, then the Hawk King thought about himself. Hair just as messy, chest bare and visible to most that looked, and his right arm, while not tattooed, was covered in a white wrap. He supposed to most he didn't look very kingly either, but goddess save whoever questioned his leadership. So Tibarn mentally apologized to the woman, she had proved herself more than enough times for him. Surprising he would place merit in such trivial merits anyway, he must have been spending too much time among the Beorc.

"No, just savoring the moment. It could be centuries before we see another battle like this." He said, shooting Nailah an intrigued glance, "What? Is the Queen of Hatari not enjoying herself a little?"

She shot him her own intrigued glance, "We're fighting an impossible battle against the goddess of our creation, and you're having fun?"

"Well the last battle wasn't all that thrilling, but I'm optimistic about the next, so yes."

She crossed her arms and smiled at him approvingly before parting her lips to speak, "Me too."

The two shared a laugh before Nailah spoke again, "I'm glad at least there's one who's got some warrior sense about them. Most of the others here seem barely able to stand."

"I imagine living secluded away in Hatari doesn't give you battles such as these."

"Well yes, this is the first time I have battled a goddess," replied Nailah, "though I will say that we have no shortage of potent warriors."

"Careful, Queen, you're getting me all riled up." Spoke Tibarn.

"Oh, I'm not sure there are many who could stand against you, Hawk King. And besides I have that honor reserved for myself." She regarded him with a coy and inviting smile. A gentle look that betrayed the immeasurable strength he knew she possessed. The gentlemanly thing to do would have been to refuse, the kingly thing to do would have been to politely decline, but before any of those things Tibarn was a warrior, and a warrior that shook with excitement at a chance to do battle with the white wolf queen from miles away.

"I'd hate to see you unable to return to your people, Wolf." He replied as his eyes locked with hers.

"Don't worry; I plan on bringing them here. It would be unfair to deny my people a chance to see the wolves conquer the skies." Her eyes remained fixed with his, fearless and certain.

"Don't get ahead of yourself now, first you'll have to survive this." He said. It was strange, they hadn't spent much time together, but still, Tibarn couldn't help but think that there was none who could understand him better than the Queen of Wolves.

"Oh I don't think that will be a problem," her eyes finally broke with his as she turned to walk away, "it's you I'm worried about." And then, believing she had said all she had wanted to say, Nailah departed without waiting for a reply to join the rest of her companions.

Tibarn remained transfixed for a moment longer as he watched her slowly walk away, oddly satisfied that he let the woman have the last word. She was a remarkable one, that was for sure. Suddenly he had deep craving to end the current conflict as quickly as possible.

_You better not forget to migrate over here, Nailah, _Tibarn thought to himself as he too made his way back to the group Beorc and Laguz warriors that were to rally against the goddess, _it would be one heck of a flight to Hatari._

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**A/N:** Hello again. Well its over, what did you think? I think its awful...sadly...but in my defense Tibarn is a hard guy to nail (I know I use that excuse all the time, but still). I actually thought my Nailah was not bad, at the beginning at least may have strayed a little towards the end. _  
_

Anyway, let me know what you guys think!


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